This invention relates to battery testers, particularly to an improved tester for small, portable batteries, and more particularly to simply constructed, inexpensive tester with no moving parts, whereby a small battery can be readily tested.
The extent of the use of small batteries, particularly dry cell batteries, has increased rapidly and steadily during the last decade, and a substantial effort has been directed to the production of recharging devices for such batteries, as well as providing means for testing the strength or condition of the batteries. Batteries are often stored prior to use and in many instances are discarded for new ones without determining the existing strength or condition of the batteries, thereby resulting in a substantial waste of useful battery life.
A few battery testers and indicating devices are known in the prior art but they are bulky, cumbersome or expensive, use complex electric or electronic components and circuitry and are designed mostly for large lead-acid type batteries used in the powering of transmitters, receivers, servos and the like.
Some of these indicating devices or their components are exemplified in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,006,414 issued Feb. 1, 1977 to Robert Parker; 3,974,441 issued Aug. 10, 1976 to Johannes Van Den Haak; 4,022,706 issued May 10, 1977 to Frederick Davis; 4,290,021 issued Sept. 15, 1981 to Jacob J. Thereon; 4,066,897 issued Jan. 3, 1978 to Ralph L. Belcher; 3,600,060 issued Aug. 17, 1971 to Donald Churchill; and 4,360,780 issued Nov. 23, 1982 to william G. Skutch, Jr.
The foregoing status of the art indicates that a need has existed in this field for an inexpensive and simple device or means for readily testing the charge state or condition of batteries, such as those of the 1.5 and 9 volt dry cell types. The battery tester described and claimed in the related application Ser. No. 723,329, has partially fulfilled this need. With such a tester one could readily test batteries especially dry cell batteries before deciding to discard them and install new ones at the time of contemplated use. However, a need still exists for an even more simply constructed dry cell battery tester as well as a means to indicate the ampere-hours or the number of hours or amperage discharged or useful battery life remaining or for warranty purposes on electrical appliances and equipment.